I'm a gigantic fan of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler. This post lists some of my 
most cherished memorabilia, and my Straits/Knopfler music collection to date, 
with photos of a few choice items.

First, my two favourite pieces:

• Original BPI (British Phonographic Industry) Platinum Award for sales of over 300,000 copies of Alchemy Live. Framed and glazed, and in amazing condition. This award was issued on Tuesday 19th February 1985, to Phonogram. This is the original award itself. Here’s a close-up of the plate.
• Pick-guard signed by Mark Knopfler. Nothing more needs to be said.

I also have some <a href="http://mattgemmell.com/images/direstraits/picks.jpg">commemorative picks</a>, an (unused) limited-run Mark Knopfler phonecard, and more.





And here's a quick list of my Straits music collection, 
including Mark Knopfler's solo releases and performances, including some very rare stuff.

• Swinging Golden Hearts - Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1996
• Last Exit to Hamburg - June 1996, June 2001
• Golden Demos - Live soundboard recordings from Hamburg, 16th June 2001
• Why Aye Man - 4-track single
• Money for Nothing - original 1988 release, not remastered
• Alchemy Live - remastered
• Alchemy Live - remastered with extra sleeve notes
• Alchemy Live - original CD release, double-width box
• Live at the BBC - 1978 and 1981 recordings
• Brothers in Arms - remastered with extra sleeve notes
• Brothers in Arms Special Edition single - ORIGINAL 1985 release
  This was the first ever CD single (the first CD single produced, when CDs were just being introduced; the first CD album ever produced wasn’t a Dire Straits album); made in West Germany. The inlay includes a description of what a CD is, and the advantages of the new format. This has never been played.
• Love Over Gold - remastered with extra sleeve notes
• Making Movies - remastered with extra sleeve notes
• Communique - remastered with extra sleeve notes
• Dire Straits - debut album, original 1978 release
• On Every Street - remastered with extra sleeve notes
• On The Night - remastered
• Sultans of Swing (Best Of) - original 1998 release
• Sultans of Swing (Best Of) Special Edition - additional Royal Albert Hall live CD
• Sultans of Swing (Best Of) - 24 carat gold 24-bit mastered serial-numbered edition
  This is indeed a CD made with 24-carat gold, each copy serial numbered. See the box interior, and the disc underside.
• Golden Heart - original release
• Sailing to Philadelphia - original 2000 release
• The Ragpicker’s Dream - original 2002 Special Edition double CD
• Neck and Neck - with Chet Atkins, original 1990 release
• Until September - promo 4-track disc, distributed to radio stations
• Darling Pretty - 3-track limited run single with postcards
• King Biscuit Flower Hour radio show - week of 24th April 2000, archive CDR, including cue sheets
• Dire Straits: The Timothy White Sessions - Westwood One show #92-11, double CD and cue sheets
• Dire Straits: Superstar Concert Series - Westwood One show #98-26, double CD and cue sheets
• Dire Straits: Superstar Concert Series - Westwood One show #00-32, double CD and cue sheets
• All main release albums (except On The Night) on 12” vinyl
• Some main release albums as original cassette releases (not copies)

Hopefully needless to say, <strong>none</strong> of the above items are for sale.